POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's hockey team (1-0) defeated Elmira College (0-3) 5-1 on Friday night in the Bears' season opener. Freshman forward
Travis Ouellette (South Mountain, Ontario/Kemptville 73's) had two goals and an assist in his first career game. Junior forward
Andrew Blanchard (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Pennsylvania Huntsman) scored twice and junior forward
Owen Watson (Smiths Falls, Ontario/Smiths Falls Bears) had a goal and two assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The teams traded chances through most of the first period.
- The Bears broke through at 16:19. Senior defenseman Ben Presley (Greenwich, Conn./Protec Jr. Ducks) fired a shot from the left point. Ouellette picked up the rebound, then circled around the net for a wrap-around goal. Watson had the second assist.
- Potsdam outshot Elmira 12-8 in the first period.
- Ouellette knocked home a rebound 3:33 into the second period to make it 2-0. Watson and freshman forward Owen Robitaille (Endwell, N.Y./Boston Jr. Rangers) each had the assists.
- After the teams picked up matching minors for roughing midway through the second, Elmira got on the board.
- Junior forward Lucas Stevenson (Ajax, Ontario/Haliburton Huskies) roofed a wrist shot the left side of the net at 10:58. Senior defenseman Birch Gorman (Flemington, N.J./Maryland Black Bears) and junior defenseman Cam Lowe (Skaneateles, N.Y./Utica Comets) each had the assists.
- Potsdam scored three times in the third period.
- Watson struck at 9:41 with assists from Ouellette and senior defenseman Rocco Seery (Bloomingdale, Ill./East Coast Wizards).
- Just 39 seconds later, Blanchard scored a power-play goal with assists from Seery and sophomore forward Platon Krasnoiarov (Khabarovsk, Russia/New Hampshire Mountain Kings).
- Elmira pulled freshman goalie Kirill Madiev (Leninogorsk, Russia/Connecticut Jr. Rangers) with 1:32 left, while on the power play.
- Blanchard sent the puck down the ice and into the empty net with 28 seconds remaining. Presley picked up the final assist.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Elmira outshot the Bears 37-31.
- Potsdam was 1-for-4 on the power play and the Soaring Eagles were 0-for-2
- Bears senior goalie Lenny Perno (Rochester, N.Y./Richmond Generals) made 36 saves for his 15th career win.
- Madiev finished with 26 stops.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bears host Nazareth University tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.
